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Sai Life Sciences, one of the fastest-growing contract research, development, and manufacturing organization (CRDMO) articulated an article elaborating how MixIT’s CFD-based virtual modeling and simulation has proved instrumental in reducing costs, minimizing process development time, and ensuring Right-First-Time scale-up of the process.

Mr. Satish Kumar Bomma, Then Senior Manager, Process Engineering at Sai Life Sciences Ltd, published an article “Computational insights into mixing: How process engineers are leveraging simulation in multiphase systems” which describes how process engineers are leveraging MixIT in multiphase systems to fine-tune essential parameters to achieve the first-time-right scale-up and enhance process efficiency.

The article describes the scale-up challenges for mixing in a multi-phase system. A detailed study of mixing patterns enables the optimization of process parameters, reactor design, and operational conditions. Controlling phase separations and preventing undesirable side reactions can be added benefits.

Solid-Liquid-Liquid Systems: A Complex Phenomenon

In a solid-liquid-liquid multiphase system, three phases coexist simultaneously: solid, liquid, and liquid. Their unique properties and significant impact on reaction conversions make them beguiling. While solid-liquid or liquid-liquid systems are more common, solid-liquid-liquid systems are comparatively atypical. The solid-liquid-liquid systems result in augmented mass transfer and interfacial area, promoting efficient chemical reactions. These systems find applications in pharmaceutical manufacturing and an understanding of the mixing dynamics in solid-liquid-liquid multiphase systems plays a pivotal role.

Importance of Efficient Mixing

Efficient mixing plays a vital role in facilitating mass transfer and ensuring uniform distribution of reactants, resulting in boosting reaction rates and conversions. Good Mixing combats diffusion limitations and enables contact between the solid particles and the reactants, inspiring improved selectivity and overall process efficiency.

The ‘Scale-Up’ Challenges

Mr. Bomma further elaborates how at the lab scale, physical observation gives a fair idea in deciding the speed of the impeller and the possibility of adjusting the speed is easy. However, during scale-up, the selection of an appropriate type of impeller and determining the speed of the impeller for good mixing in the plant reactor is a challenge.
Therefore, a discernment of the minimum speed of the impeller to lift the solids to hold them in a suspension state (just suspension speed (Njs)) and the minimum speed of the impeller to disperse the less dense liquid phase into the high-dense liquid phase adequately (just dispersion speed (Njd)) is pivotal for effective mass transfer as well as reaction conversion.

MixIT-enabled Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation holds the Key.

Mr. Bomma describes how MixIT-enabled CFD simulation can be a day saver for scale-up processes.
He says,

“The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations conducted using MixIT software facilitate a comprehensive analysis of the plant reactor’s mixing process.

By simulating diverse operational scenarios, engineers gain insights into the impact of impeller design, impeller speed, and baffling configuration on flow behavior and mixing efficiency. The CFD outputs provide visualization of flow patterns, allowing one to identify the homogeneous distribution of solids and uniform dispersion of the liquid phase throughout the reactor. This detailed understanding empowers us to optimize the reactor’s geometry and operational parameters, leading to improved reaction kinetics and enhanced product quality. The utilization of CFD-based virtual modeling and simulation has proved instrumental in reducing costs, minimizing process development time, and ensuring efficient scale-up of the process.”


He further articulates how he leverages MixIT to optimize mixing operations in various multiphase systems by predicting critical parameters such as mixing time, power consumption, and the efficiency of mixing systems, along with velocity and flow distribution contours. Based on the output obtained from the MixIT simulation, the engineers at Sai Life Sciences, select the appropriate mixing equipment, optimize process conditions, and eradicate mixing issues during scale-up. MixIT enables engineers to analyze and optimize fluid flow and heat transfer in process equipment.

This results in evaluating the effects of scale-up on fluid dynamics, identifying potential obstacles, and optimizing equipment selection and process conditions, resulting in enhanced process performance.
The article concludes with a thought on how process simulation can be leveraged by engineers to fine-tune essential parameters to achieve the first-time-right scale-up and enhanced process efficiency. The tools like MixIT are used during the process development to develop a robust scalable process, enable tech transfer, and ensure smooth execution at a higher scale.

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Reference article:
https://www.sailife.com/computational-insights-into-mixing-how-process-engineers-are-leveraging-simulation-in-multiphase-systems